Consumer Complaints

Making a Complaint

If you would like to make a complaint, please follow these simple steps to seek a resolution. All complaint procedures are available at no cost to the complainant.

1. First Steps

The first stage of any complaint, concerning the actions of one of our Scheme Members, is for you to contact the Stroma Certification Scheme Member directly to try and reach a successful resolution. Under the rules of their certification, the Scheme Member must try and resolve the nature of the complaint with you before it is escalated to Stroma Certification. If the complaint does not relate to the actions of the Scheme Member, please proceed to Step 2 in order to submit a complaint to Stroma Certification.

Where the Scheme Member does not respond to your complaint satisfactorily, please proceed to step 2 below and submit a formal complaint to Stroma Certification.

Please note that if the complaint is relating to financial or contractual matters, this is outside of the complaint remit of Stroma Certification. We recommend that you contact one of the third-party bodies detailed in Step 3. We would also recommend that you take independent legal advice as you may need to make a claim through the small claims courts to retrieve any monies owed to you. Whilst financial matters are not something that Stroma Certification can help with; this does not mean that you cannot contact us if you have additional concerns relating to the Scheme Member.

2. Contact Stroma Certification

If your complaint is not dealt with or resolved directly by the Scheme Member, please submit a formal complaint to the Stroma Certification Complaints Department. You can view details of the Stroma Certification complaints process here.

In order to register a complaint with Stroma Certification, this can be completed using one of the following methods:

Stroma Certification will confirm receipt of your complaint and ensure it is processed in accordance with the Complaints and Appeals Policy requirements. If you need to contact Stroma Certification during the complaint investigation or need to provide evidence to us to support your complaint, please contact us by emailing certification@stromacert.com.

3. Additional Support Services

If Stroma Certification are unable to resolve your complaint you may be referred to one of the following bodies. Stroma Certification may also refer the complaint to them as part of the complaint investigation in order for the matter to be fully dealt with.

Citizens Advice
Tel: 03454 04 05 06
Web: citizensadvice.org.uk

Trading Standards
Tel: 03454 04 05 06
Web: tradingstandards.gov.uk

FAQs

If you need to contact Stroma Certification during a complaint investigation or need to provide additional evidence to support your complaint, please contact us by emailing certification@stromacert.com.
In the first instance, if your complaint concerns one of our scheme members, you should first contact them directly. Under the rules of their certification, all scheme members must try to successfully resolve a complaint before it is escalated to Stroma Certification. In circumstances where a complaint cannot be dealt with or resolved by the scheme member, or if your complaint is of another nature, please submit your complaint to the complaints department (see how to make a complaint section).

1. Complaint logged with the customer service team, including notes taken during a verbal complaint notification or from a submitted written complaint.

2. Complaint allocated to the relevant departmental complaints handler to review and validate and begin the investigation.

3. An initial response/acknowledgement of the complaint within a 5 working day period, and we aim to give an update within a further 15 working days.

4. If the complaints handler cannot resolve the complaint to the satisfaction of the complainant within 15 working days, a further update will be issued noting estimated timescales.

5. If the complaint investigation cannot be resolved to the complainant's satisfaction, it will be referred to the appropriate department manager for review. A written response will be issued within 21 working days, once a further review has been undertaken.

6. If a resolution cannot be met, a complaint can be passed onto the relevant third party appeals panel overseeing the complaints process.

View the full complaints procedure by clicking here

Unfortunately, complaints relating to compensation or financial matters are outside the complaint remit of Stroma Certification. If you feel you are owed money by a scheme member, we recommend you seek legal advice as you may wish to make a claim through the small claims court for a reimbursement. However, please contact us if you have additional concerns regarding a scheme member.
If you would like to submit customer feedback, please email certification@stromacert.com.